in islamabadforus. justhow much back and fourth have we beenhaving? we thought she could be released, and then she wasn't. looks like reza is not hearing me. we will continue to work on getting him back up. let me go back. sarah shourd is her name. her along wit two friends have been held and were accused of being spies. we got word last week that there was a deal in place to allow her to have a conditional release, just t heard. we got that word late last week and we thought she was going to be released on saturday, and then iran came back and said things are not in place and the judicial pross has not played out, and now this morning there is word that she could be released if $500,000 in bail was paid. that's where we are now. now, new information whas been back to us, and now everything is in place for sarah shourd to be replaced as soon as the money is paid. $500,000. it's being called bail money, but once that is paid she would be released and go back to the united states, and that mney would be forfeited even if they did want to try her. but sh would be out of there. however,

go, but it is going to cost. reza sayah is on the storyforusthismorning. reza, good morning to you. how much does i iran want? >> reporter: $500,000, t.j. that's how much they want. this has been a bizarre process in iran, and no doubt a difficult one for sarah shourd and her family to go through, of course. initially iranian officials came out last week and said sarah shourd would be released. then they said she wouldn't be released. and now today, again, they're saying she c be released, in exchange for half a million dollars in bail money. the latest twist came today at a news conference by tehran's revolutionary court prosecutor. the prosecutor saying today that shourd's f sarah medical condition, iran is offering to release her for that ba ail money. i don't think there is any doubt that her famy is somehow going to come up with thatmoney. it is not clear at this point when that's going to happen and when she will be allowed to leave the country. as far as the other two hikers go, shane bauer and joshua fattal, the prosecutor said today they're not going anywhere, they'

. their answers didsurpriseus. >>it's a fascinating story. i'm spited to see that. >>> and who says there's no more true passion in politics? check this guy out. >> if it ends tonight, i promise each and every person in this room, i will hit the ground running, come out swinging, and end up winning! >> that's phil davidson. he was running for county treasurer in ohio. he gave that rather lively campaign speech. it was posted on youtube. now he's got half a million hits. he's here live this morning. and he's much mellower than you might think. he's got a good sense of humor. we'll talk to him live na few minutes. >>> we're going to start with another about face from iran. they said they'll release the woman being held there with her two friends. her lawyer says she'll be released in two to three days. our jim sciutto has been following this all along. jim, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. a few days of enormous whiplash for sarah shourd's family. she was to be released, then friday, news that the release was canceled. now, something in between. she'll be released on bail, $500,000

's official. the campaign season isuponus. congresscomes back this week. they're only going to be here for three weeks, four at the most, and then it's back out on the mustings, more of this red meat politics for the next two months. >> okay. something we'll be talking about a lot together. mike viqueira. >>> catch david's full interview with david axelrod and mayor giuliani when "meet the press" reairs at 2:00 eastern on "msnbc sunday." >>> we are following a developing story out of iran at this hour, a jailed american hiker held for over 13 months by iranian authorities may be released withindays. sarah shourd could soon come home on about a half million dollars bail. nbc's ali arouzi is joining us from london and with a good day to you a story we're eager to see the outcome of, any news from tehran, ali? >> well, it's the news we've been hearing since the last few days. there's been so many twists and turns in this story. friday the president's announcement she was going tohee freed on saturday and then tehran's chief prosecutor overturned that and then the chief prosecutor gave a p